Second annual World Tennis Day

The International Tennis Federation (ITF) and StarGames announced today that the second annual World Tennis Day will take place on Monday, 3 March 2014.

World Tennis Day will center around a series of high profile special events, produced by StarGames, featuring current and former professional players, enhanced by activities generated by the ITF’s National Associations around the globe to grow tennis participation. In 2014, the number of cities hosting the special events will double from the inaugural year, with Bangkok and London joining Hong Kong and New York.

World Tennis Day was staged for the first time in 2013 with 55 nations hosting participation events. In addition, BNP Paribas Showdown events were held in New York and Hong Kong.

“World Tennis Day proved to be a very successful initiative, using high profile special events to bring attention to the developmental activities of our member nations on every continent,” said ITF President Francesco Ricci Bitti. “The enthusiasm and commitment of our National Associations to World Tennis Day in its first year was inspiring and we expect an even greater take-up in 2014 and beyond. March 3rd will be an important day in the international tennis calendar with huge focus on our sport on World Tennis Day.”

“The first year of World Tennis Day really exceeded all our expectations. With two great events, over 50 nations participating in the programme, television coverage in over 130 countries, and trending on Twitter, we truly had a worldwide celebration of tennis,” said Jerry Solomon, President and CEO of StarGames, Inc. “Looking to 2014, with events in Hong Kong, Bangkok, London and New York, we will be in four of the world’s biggest financial and tourism centres, and anticipate even more nations to participate in grassroots programmes, giving us a platform for truly bringing the world together to play tennis.”

In New York, the 2014 BNP Paribas Showdown will once again take place at Madison Square Garden and be part of the United States Tennis Association’s (USTA) Tennis Night in America initiative. The MSG event will feature Novak Djokovic playing Andy Murray, as well as Bob and Mike Bryan taking on John and Patrick McEnroe.

Information about the events in Bangkok, Hong Kong and London, including venue, players and ticket sales, will be released in the coming weeks.